US major league is unfair, unclear. They must open the accounting of WBC to other countries.

11:18 pm July 20, 2012

a wrote:

threaten? no. MLB is profit-first principle. japan pros is just unsatisfied with it.

3:44 am July 21, 2012

b wrote:

66 percent for MLB? and 13 percent for Japan?
Sponsoring Japanese team is like donating to tremendously-richer MLB and its players.
This is heart breaking. Sounds like exploiting people.

11:37 am July 21, 2012

k wrote:

Japan is simply demanding what is rightfully theirs - the profit generated from Japanese sponsors to be distributed among the Japanese. If the US want to be so arrogant and greedy then there is no reason for Japan to participate.

2:04 pm July 21, 2012

C wrote:

Are there all Major leaguer play in WBC?
Nope.
Smart players won't play. Just wasting their time.

2:07 pm July 21, 2012

Nick wrote:

I think Japan will not play in the WBC.
The tournament format is also messed up (The whole playing teams over and over).

The main reason it has struggled to gain audience is not really because of the time its done, but simply because no one watches baseball outside of East Asias and Americas. I imagine the reception in countries like Holland and Italy where the so-called "pros" (The professional league there only pays players about $20,000, and many of them have part time jobs) play have very little reception anyways.

Its too bad to miss out on Japan-Cuba matches, but I suppose it was bound to happen. The revenue generated by the Japan team is estimated to be around 45%--55% of the tournament revenue total. The percent Japan receives now is 13%. Honestly, even at 20% I dont think the players will play.

2:09 pm July 21, 2012

Nick wrote:

To C. Yes there are some major league players. I think in 2009 we saw Alex Rodriguez and Jeter? On the Japan team there was Matsuzaka and Ichiro if I remember correctly.

The thing is.......its just not the same as the World Cup or Olympics. Doesn`t quite have a fan base inside or outside the US (with the exception of Japan and Korea) and is not taken seriously enough by the US players which sorta demeans the tournament all together.....

1:40 am July 22, 2012

DLL wrote:

Japanese pro baseball? That is an oxymoron.

2:02 pm July 22, 2012

Groucho wrote:

Japanese pro baseball an oxymoron? A glib cliche with nothing to back it up. Here are some facts. Hideo Nomo - no-hitters in both leagues (How many pitchers have done that?). Ichiro Suzuki - 200 plus hits in 10 consecutive seasons; most hits in one season. Hideki Matsui - World Series MVP. Yu Darvish, whose potential is just beginning to be apparent to American baseball fans. Japanese players are the most fundamentally sound players in the world. They play with a skill and discipline that is unmatched anywhere baseball is played. When MLB teams play Japanese teams, the Japanese always play well and often win.

1:14 pm August 14, 2012

Godzilla wrote:

I think iit's very simple. If the operation of WBC is the same or equivalent to the Olympics or FIFA World Cup where the country retains its right to sponsor their team, then Japan will play. I do not believe it's the split of the profit, it's the right to sell their merchandise (not others) make money and fund it for future ball players. It seems MLB just wants Japan Money......which is very strong against the US Dollar.....

6:18 am October 20, 2012

guest wrote:

Japan deserves not to play in the WBC! When the World Baseball Classic begins in 2013, maybe Sweden, The Bahamas or Greece will take over Japan's spot since they withdrew. Pro baseball in Japan is a bunch of malarkey! All because of Yu "Beavis" Darvish and Daisuke "Butthead" Matsuzaka! We like Sweden better then Japan! See you in 2013!

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